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Style guides and their application: The case of Microsoft 'Windows' and a remote tutoring environment

1997; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 16; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/014492997119996

1362-3001

Martin Colbert,

Usability and User Interface Design

The application of Graphical User Interface styles is supported by 'style guides'- books which authoritatively specify a basic set of application controls (interface objects) and user input methods, and which advise when and how to use these controls and input methods. Style guides are typically presented as resources that encourage consistency and re-use. This paper reports a recent project which applied the Microsoft 'Windows' style as a de facto standard, rather than a resource. The style was applied in this manner, to offer potential customers a guarantee of usability (of a kind). The project was a success, in that the Windows re-design of a remote tutoring environment out-performed the previous, push button design in key respects in a usability trial. However, with the benefit of hindsight, the Windows re-design was also unnecessarily complex, because the project's view of style compliance was somewhat misleading. If styles are to be used as de facto standards, then it is suggested that projects are provided with explicit concepts of style compliance, compliance rules and compliance assessment procedures